Device measuring the wind speed and the wind direction

ABSTRACT

A device measuring the speed or the direction of the wind, characterized in that it consists of the main body ( 1 ), which is hollow and can be divided into two parts and an electronic circuit ( 9 ) can be placed into the inside part thereof, and of the rotor ( 2 ) or the vane tail ( 3 ). The main body ( 1 ) is of curved shape and has a tall neck so as the rotor ( 2 ) or the vane tail ( 3 ) to be placed in such a position in order for the measurements not to be affected and it is divided into two parts the lower part ( 6 ) and the upper part ( 7 ). The upper part ( 7 ) of the main body ( 1 ) is hollow and the axle ( 8 ) is placed into the inside part thereof, where the rotor ( 8 ) or, alternatively, the vane tail ( 9 ) are mounted, depending on the measurement we wish to achieve. The device is mounted in the meteorological station of a supporting arm.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention refers to a device which depending on the providedcomponent it is able to measure the wind speed and/or the winddirection. The device consists of the main body, in the inside part ofwhich an electronic circuit is located, and of two components that canbe used separately depending on the physical quantity we wish tomeasure.

DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART

Until today in the prior art no similar technology has ever beenpresented in this kind of devices. In particular, until today no devicethat can measure wind speed and/or wind direction has ever beenmanufactured. On the contrary there exist several devices for themeasurement of the wind speed the operation of which is based on totallydifferent principles of operation compared to the device of myinvention. In particular, the other devices either use optical sensorswith a switch or a rotating coil attached to the axle of the rotor. Themost expensive of the above described devices are the ones using anoptical sensor.

The major disadvantage of all the above mentioned devices is that theycan neither operate sufficiently nor withstand the specificcharacteristics of complex terrains such as the Greek terrain which ischaracterized by a high wind potential and heavy snowfalls. Furthermore,none of these devices can measure the wind direction.

The above disadvantage led me to the search of a solution to the aboveproblems, the result of which is the invented device.

The main advantage of my invention is the ability to measure both windspeed and wind direction using a single device. In addition, the rotorused for the wind speed measurement is provided with three cups and hasa pioneer design which aims to the improvement of the mechanicalfeatures of the arms and the rotors so as not to break during theiroperation under difficult weather conditions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The technical, constructional and functional characteristics of theinvented device, according to the present invention, will becomprehensive to those skilled in the art, with reference to theaccompanying drawings of the present specification, which show anindicative industrial preferred embodiment of the present invention.

In particular, FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the device of theinvention.

FIG. 2 shows two views of the rotor used for the wind speed measurementand

FIG. 3 also shows two views of the vane tail used for the wind directionmeasurements.

FIG. 4 shows a bipolar magnet located in the inside part of the mainbody of the device.

FIG. 5 shows the two parts of the main body.

FIG. 6 shows the upper part of the main body with the axle in its insidepart.

And FIG. 7 shows two views of the lower part of the body with theelectronic circuit and the connection plug.

The drawings show an example of the present invention. Hereinafter, samereference numbers of the main parts of the object refer to thecorresponding reference numbers of those parts in the accompanyingdrawings. The parts are not depicted to scale but simply in dimensionsproportional to one another.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

According to the selected indicative embodiment of the invention, theinvented device consists of the main body 1. The main body is made ofaluminum and can be divided into two parts, the lower part 6 and theupper part 7. The two components used, depending on the physicalquantity, are the rotor 2 and the vane tail 3.

The main body 1 is of curved shape and consists of a tall neck in orderfor the rotor 2 or the vane tail 3 to be placed in such a position awayfrom the base so as to minimize the effects of the wind flow which alterthe measurements. The electronic circuit 9 is placed inside the lowerpart 6. The upper part 7 is hollow and in the inside part thereof theaxle 8 is located. The rotor 2 or the vane tail 3 is fixed on the axle8.

The rotor 2 is provided with three cups 11 with great mechanicaltolerance and is made of a composite material of thermoset matrix andglass chopped strands as reinforcement. Their dimensions have beencalculated in order for the best performance to be achieved. The vanetail is made of aluminum and has a flat tail 12 and a counterweight 13in order to balance on the rotation axle.

The device is fixed in the meteorological tower on a side arm. Theconnection of the device on the data logger is achieved by connecting acable in the plug 10 underneath the base. The connection is very fastand easy.

The principles of operation of my invention are based on the rotation ofa bipolar magnet 4 right above a magnetic encoder 5. The bipolar magnet4, which is firmly attached to the axle 8 of rotor 2 or vane tail 3,rotates with the same speed as they do. The magnetic encoder 5 caneither measure the rotational speed of the magnet or the angle formed byan initial reference point. The two operating modes change by means ofsimply programming the magnetic encoder.

It should also be noted that the object of the present invention shouldnot be limited to the above described example. The accomplishment ofthis invention is also possible in other constructive ways, methods,fittings and machinery within the scope of the present specification.

1. A device measuring the speed and the direction of the wind,characterized in that it consists of the main body 1, which is hollowand can be divided into two parts and an electronic circuit 9 can beplaced into the inside part thereof, and of the rotor 2 and the vanetail
 3. The main body 1 is of curved shape and has a tall neck so as therotor 2 or the vane tail 3 to be placed in such a position in order forthe measurements not to be affected and it is divided into two parts thelower part 6 and the upper part
 7. The upper part 7 of the main body 1is hollow and the axle 8 is placed into the inside part thereof, wherethe rotor 8 or, alternatively, the vane tail 9 are mounted, depending onthe measurement we wish to achieve. The device is mounted in themeteorological station of a supporting arm.
 2. A device measuring thespeed and the direction of the wind according to claim 1, characterizedin that the electronic circuit 9 of the device is placed into the insidepart of the lower part 6 of the main body
 1. 3. A device measuring thespeed and the direction of the wind according to claim 1, characterizedin that the rotor 2 is made of a composite material with a thermosetmatrix and glass chopped strands as reinforcement or of otherappropriate material and has three cups 11 of great mechanical toleranceand the dimensions thereof have been designed in such way in order forthe best and more accurate measurements of the wind's parameters to beachieved.
 4. A device measuring the speed and the direction of the windaccording to claim 1, characterized in that the vane tail 3 is made ofaluminum or other appropriate material and consists of a flat surface 12and a counterweight 13 in order to balance on the rotation axle
 8. 5. Adevice measuring the speed and the direction of the wind according toclaim 1, characterized in that the operation thereof is based on therotation of a bipolar magnet 4 above a magnetic encoder
 5. The bipolarmagnet 4 is firmly attached to the axle 8 of the rotor 2 or of the vanetail 3 and it rotates with the same speed as they do. The magneticencoder 5 can measure the rotational speed of the magnet or the formedangle from an initial reference position. We can change the operatingmode by means of simply programming the magnetic encoder
 5. 6. A devicefor measuring wind speed and direction, comprising: a main body that ishollow and divisible into an upper part and a lower part; an electroniccircuit within the main body; an elongate neck extending upward from theupper part; an axle in communication with the electronic circuit andextending through the elongate neck; and one of a rotor and a vane tailsecured to a distal portion of the elongate neck and in communicationwith the axle.
 7. The device of claim 6, wherein the electronic circuitis within the lower part.
 8. The device of claim 6, wherein the rotorand includes three cups.
 9. The device of claim 8, wherein the cups aremade of a composite material with a thermoset matrix and glass choppedstrands as reinforcement.
 10. The device of claim 6, wherein the vanetail consists of a flat surface and a counterweight to balance on therotation axle.
 11. The device of claim 10, wherein the vane tail is madeof aluminum.
 12. The device of claim 6, wherein the electronic circuitincludes a bipolar magnet above a magnetic encoder, wherein the bipolarmagnet is attached to the axle and rotates at the same speed as theaxle.
 13. The device of claim 12, wherein the magnetic encoder measuresthe rotational speed of the bipolar magnet.
 14. The device of claim 12,wherein the magnetic encoder measure the formed angle of the bipolarmagnet from an initial reference position.
 15. The device of claim 12,wherein the magnetic encoder is programmable to select an operatingmode.
 16. A device for measuring wind speed and direction, comprising: amain body; an electronic circuit within the main body, wherein theelectronic circuit includes a bipolar magnet juxtaposed with a magneticencoder, wherein the magnetic encoder measures one of the rotationalspeed of the bipolar magnet and the formed angle of the bipolar magnetfrom an initial reference position, and wherein the magnetic encoder isprogrammable to select an operating mode; an elongate neck extendingupward from the main body; and axle coupled to the bipolar magnet andextending through the elongate neck, wherein the bipolar magnet rotatesat the same speed as the axle; and one of a rotor and a vane tailsecured to a distal portion of the elongate neck and in communicationwith the axle, wherein the rotor and includes three cups made of acomposite material with a thermoset matrix and glass chopped strands asreinforcement, and wherein the vane tail is made of aluminum andconsists of a flat surface and a counterweight to balance on therotation axle.